As I mentioned in my first post I have not started this endeavour off easily. Today marks the start of the 36th Vancouver International Film Festival.
This is without question one of my favourite times of the year. This feeling is not the same for my wonderful wife, who considers herself a VIFF widow. And after you see my planned festival itinerary you will see that she’s not wrong.
But before I get my watch list I want to explain the process I undertake to create it.
It starts once the official Festival Guide is released. I download the PDF and print the schedule and all pages with film write-ups. I then immediately cross out all screenings that I cannot see due to work and other commitments, this usually only removes a handful of titles that are just out of the question. I then get to reading…every…single…film, and deciding if it is something I may be interested in seeing, if it is I mark it on the schedule with how many screenings are possible for the given film. Once that process is complete I have a picture of where there are overlapping films. Then begins the culling process, the easiest place to start is with any that only have a single viewing opportunity that overlaps with another with only one chance. After that the balancing of multiple showings vs. any singles and the other multiples. Voila! 16 days of film viewing magic. (To be honest, I like this part almost as much as watching the films themselves. But I’m weird like that.)
And Now! Without further ado…Chris’ VIFF 2019 Itinerary:
| DATE | TIME | FILM | THEATRE |
| Sep 26 | 6:45 PM | “Checkered Ninja” | Rio Theatre |
| 9:00 PM | “The Realm” | Playhouse | |
| Sep 27 | 7:00 PM | “Boyz in the Wood” | Rio Theatre |
| 9:30 PM | “In the Tall Grass” | Rio Theatre | |
| Sep 28 | 6:00 PM | “The Lighthouse” | The Centre |
| 9:00 PM | “The Painted Bird” | Playhouse | |
| Sep 29 | 3:00 PM | “Parasite” | The Centre |
| 6:00 PM | “The Last to See Them” | Vancity Theatre | |
| 9:15 PM | “Greener Grass” | Rio Theatre | |
| Sep 30 | 7:30 PM | “Deerskin” | Int’l Village |
| 9:15 PM | “Killer Queen” | Rio Theatre | |
| Oct 1 | 9:30 PM | “The Shadow Play” | Int’l Village |
| Oct 2 | 6:30 PM | “Les Misérables” | Playhouse |
| 9:00 PM | “Little Joe” | The Centre | |
| Oct 3 | 7:00 PM | “Deep Red” (1975) – Live Score | Rio Theatre |
| 9:15 PM | “Bacurau” | Playhouse | |
| Oct 4 | 6:30 PM | “American Woman” | Rio Theatre |
| 9:15 PM | “The Lodge” | Rio Theatre | |
| Oct 5 | 11:00 AM | “Belonging” | Int’l Village |
| 1:45 PM | “Paradise Hills” | Rio Theatre | |
| 4:45 PM | “Come to Daddy” | SFU Woodwards | |
| 7:00 PM | “The Death of Dick Long” | Rio Theatre | |
| 9:45 PM | “Vai” | Playhouse | |
| Oct 6 | 11:00 AM | “Red Snow” | Int’l Village |
| 4:15 PM | “Melancholic” | Int’l Village | |
| 6:45 PM | “Knives and Skin” | Rio Theatre | |
| 9:15 PM | “Divine Love” | Rio Theatre | |
| Oct 7 | 6:45 PM | “The Whistlers” | Rio Theatre |
| 9:15 PM | “Queen of Hearts” | Playhouse | |
| Oct 8 | 9:15 PM | “Judy & Punch” | Rio Theatre |
| Oct 9 | 6:15 PM | “Beanpole” | Int’l Village |
| 9:15 PM | “Extra Ordinary” | Rio Theatre | |
| Oct 10 | 6:30 PM | “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” | Playhouse |
| 9:15 PM | “The Wild Goose Lake” | Playhouse |
There you have it. Thirty-four films over fifteen days (Cannot attend the closing day). Inevitably some will get dropped. It is a tough grind and sometimes you just need some time at home, but this is the road-map. You know where I’ll be, hopefully I’ll see you at one of them.
Happy viewing.
Noodle on Film 